Electric time-switch.



No. 784,858. PATENTED MAR. v, 1905 s. sTBMsKI.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH,

APPLIUATION FILED APR.12, 1904.

3 SHBETSSHEET l.

WITNESSES I INVEN r05 5 By kS ZQIZLSZfl as Stem s1;

PATENTED MAR. .7, 1905.

S. STEMSKI.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 12, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mm/70R AQ'ZZZIzZSZQ u Sims/ '5 i A TTORNEVS WITNESSES e d PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

S. STBMSKI.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1Z, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' INVENTOR I Jianaslau/s Siam 8Z0 ATTORNEYS Patented March '7, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

STA NISLAUS STEMSKI, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

ELECTRIC TIME-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,358, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed April 12, 1904. Serial No. 202,765.

To a whom 13!; may cmtccr/t:

Be it known that I, STANISLAUS S'rEMskI, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Time- Switches, of which the following is a specilication, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic electric time-switches; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device or apparatus of this class which is designed particularly for use in department and similar stores for the purpose of turning on and off electric lights at a predetermined time, a further object being to provide an automatic electric time switch which may be used for the purpose specified or for any other or similar purpose where such a switch is desired; and with these ob jects in view the invention consists in a device or apparatus of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings :form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, in which Figure 1 is a front view of my improved automatic electric time-switch apparatus, part of the construction being in section; Fig. 2, a side view thereof; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 8 of Fig. 1; Fig. 1, a section on the line 4 a of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig, 6 a face view of a detail of the construction.

In the practice .of my invention I provide an ordinary clock mechanism a, which in the drawings is shown as a box or casing, from the central front portion of which projects a shaft o which forms a part of said mechanism and which corresponds with the shaft on which the minute-hand of the clock or clock mechanism is in practice mounted. Secured to the shaft a is a pinion a, which meshes with a gear-wheel a", supported adjacent to said shaft and the shaft a of which is secured to the casing of the clock mechanism, and

mounted on the shaft a of the wheel a and secured to said wheel a" and turnable therewith is a pinion a, which meshes with a gearwheel a mounted on the shaft a and provided with a screw-threaded hub (12, on which is mounted a thumb-nut 71. The wheel (/7 is provided with an annular shoulder or enlargement 7), between which and the thumb-nut b is mounted an arm 6", having a cam-nose l), and mounted on the hub a adjacent to the arm I) is a diskc, having a cam-nose c at one side thereof, and said disk cconstitutes a dialplate, and the twenty-four hours of the day are indicated thereon by means of radiallyarranged scale-marks at the perimeter thereof.

In the form of construction shown the clock mechanism a or the casing thereof is provided at the upper left-hand corner thereof with an arm c, to which is pivoted a lever c", which ranges trai'isversely of the clock mechanism and is provided centrally with a projecting linger o in connection with which the nose 0' of the arm 5 and the nose 0 of the disk 0 operate, and it will be understood that said arm and said disk are free to turn on the hub a? of the wheel a but said arm and said disk may be locked to said wheel (6 at any desired point of adjustment by means of the thumb-nut b. The clock mechanism (6 or the casing thereof is secured to a support 0 or to the back of a casing or box which forms a support therefor, and this connection in the form of construction shown is made by means of intermediate devices 0 whereby said clock mechanism is held at a predetermined distance in front of the support 0.

Connected with the support c under the clock mechanism a is an ordinary electric switch device (Z, to the shaft d of which is secured a disk (Z with which is connected a supplemental disk 1!", this connection being made by means of pins or screws (Z secured to the disk Z" and passing through radial slots (1 in the perimeter of the disk (1, and the disks (5 and (Z are separated by insulating material and the pins or screws (Z are insulated from the disk d", clearly shown in Fig. The disk (Z is secured to the end of a powershaft (1, which passes through a casing o supported in front of the switch (.5, and secured to said shaft adjacent to the disk (1 is a l erably provided between said spring and the ratchet-wheel 0 between which and said disk is placed another disk, 6', which is connected with the disk (5* by screws which are passed through segmental slots 6 in the disk (1, by means of which the disk 0 may be adjusted on the disk d, and said disk (5 is provided with spring-operated pawls 0 which operate in connection with the ratchet-wheel e and which permit the shaft 0 to turn in one direc: tion independent of the shaft (Z of the switch (Z, but which compel the shaft of the switch to turn with the shaft 0 when said shaft e is turned in the opposite direction. Mounted on the shaft 6 within the casing e and secured thereto is a drum or similar device f, having radially arranged spring operated plungers f said plungers being normally forced outwardly by springs f and in the form of construction shown four of the plungers f are employed, and each of said plungers is provided with a transverse pm which is passed therethrough and through the sides of the drum fand are movable in radial slots f, formed in said sides of the drum, and the said plungers are held in. position or prevented from being thrown out of the drum by the springs by means of plates f, secured to the drum by screws f or in any desired manner and which operate on or in connection with the pins f and through the ends of which the plungersf are movable.

The casing (3 through which the shaft 6 passes, is provided in the top thereof and directly over the drum fwith a slot or opening 9, and secured to the bottom of the top of said casing at the opposite sides of said slot or opening are stops g against which the pins f strike in the operation of the device, as

hereinafter described, and pivoted to the top of the casing 0 and preferably to the left-hand side portion thereof, as shown at g", is an arm g, which ranges transversely of the top of said casing and in the same direction as the lever 0*, which is-supported by the clockwork mechanism or the casing thereof, and the free end of the arm g and the corresponding end of the lever c are connected by a link, rod, or similar device 9. An elbow-lever g is pivoted to the arm 9* directly over the slot or opening g in the top of the casing 6 as shown at g in Fig. 1, and the shorter arm of the elbow-lever g is provided with a head 7r, having a slot 7L2, through which the arm 9* passes, and the slot k in the head /a is so formed that the lever 9 may swing freely on its pivotal support at g into the position shown in Fig. 1 or into the position shown in Fig. 4:, and connected with the head 71 of the lever g is a finger h, which projects into the slot or opening g in the top of the casing (1 Within the front part of the casing c is placed a strong spiral spring b", one end of which is secured to said casing at 75 and the other to the shaft 0, and said shaft is also prefdrum 7" with a disk 71., which is secured thereto and the object of which is to hold the spring /1." in proper position. The shaft 1: extends entirely through the casing (1, and the front end thereof is provided with an angular head v1, to which a key may be applied, and secured to said end of said shaft is a disk I, one side of which is provided with a segmental recess 5 in which is secured a tooth Z", and mounted beneath the disk 1' is a lock-wheel j, having radially-arranged recesses y, live of which are employed and by means of which the perimeter of the said lock-w heel is divided into five radially-arranged projectionsj, having segmental outer faces which correspond with the perimeter of the disk and one of the projections 7" is provided at one corner with a finger f, which extends beyond the line of a circle forming aboundary of said projections 7".

Connected with the arm r is a contractile spring A', as shown in Figs. 1 and a, which is secured to the bottom of the casing w or to the support on which said casing rests, and this spring normally serves to hold said arm in its lowest position, and the down ward movement of this arm is limited by a screw N, which bears on the top of the casing a" and which passes through a support Z5, secured to or connected with said arm.

The spring 71; may be wound up by means of a key applied to the end or head 1? of the shaft 0, and in this operation said shaft is turned to the right, and the drum f'turns therewith.

It will be observed that the point of the nose 0 of the disk 0 is in direct line with one of the scale or hour marks on said disk, and in practice the arm I) is so arranged that the point of the nose 1)" thereof will be in line with another of said scale-marks, and thedis tance between these two scale-marks or lines will fix the number of hours which are to intervene between the time of turning on the lights and the time of turning out said lights, and supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 at the end of four hours the lever a will be raised by the nose o passing on the linger 0", and at the end of live hours thereafter the lever 0 would be again raised by the nose 7/" of the arm/i passing under said linger, and the length of time between these two operations will always depend on the position of the arm 0" with reference to the nose 0 on the disk 0, and, as hereinbefore stated, the arm Z)" may be adjusted with reference to said disk or said disk adjusted with reference to said arm, so that the period of time between the said operations may be regulated as desired. If, for instance, the operator desires to turn on the lights at six oclock in the evening, the parts are so adjusted that the lever 0" will drop off of the nose o at six oclock in the evening, and if the lights are to be turned out at eleven oclock the arm 7) l said figure, and in the downward movement will be adjusted so that the lever 0* will drop off of the nose 7) at said hour. It is not the raising of the lever 0* by the noses 0 and 7) which operates the switch, but the operation of the switch is effected by the dropping of said lever when the said noses pass from beneath the pin a, all of which will appear from the following statement of the operation of the apparatus. It will be understood that the central shaft a of the clock mechanism a, as hereinbefore stated, is the same as the shaft which carries the minute-hand of a clock under ordinary conditions, and the hub a of the wheel a is the same as that on which the hour-hand of the clock is usually mounted, and the movement of the shaft (1/ of the hub a and wheel a will correspond with the movement of the minute-hand and hour-hand, respectively, of a clock, and by means of the gears a and a the disk 0 is turned through a complete circle once in twenty-four hours.

Suppose the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 at two oclock in the afternoon. The lever c will be raised by the nose 0 and will drop off of said nose exactly at six oclock. As the lever 0* is raised by the nose 0 the arm 9 is also raised against the operation of the spring 71: into the position shown in Fig. 4. The finger it" of the head 71 of the lever g normally projects into the slot r in the casing 0 as shown in Fig. 1, and the shaft and drum fare held stationary by the pin f of one of the plungersf .which bears on the stops As the lever 0" drops off of the point of the nose 0 of the disk 0 the spring it draws down the arm and the pin 71/ of the head h of the lever g strikes the end of the said plunger 7 and forces said plunger inwardly, so that the pin f" thereof will not engage the stops and the shaft 0 and the drum f are rapidly turned through a quarter of a revolution by the spring 71., at which time another of the plungers f is in position to lock the drum f. This operation of turning the shaft 6 operates the switch (Z to turn on the lights, and the parts will remain in this position until the nose Z)" of the arm 7/ raises the lever a" and passes beneath the same, and when the lever 0" drops olf of the nose I) of the arm 6 the above-described operation will be repeated. The shaft (4 will be turned through a quarter of a revolution, and the switch (Z will be again operated, and the lights will he turned out or off.

It will be understood that when the device is in position for operation the arm is held in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the linger it of the head /L of the lever g is of such length that the end of the plunger f at the top of the drum f strikes said finger and forces it and the lever g into the position shown in said figure. hen the arm y is raised, however, as shown in Fig. L, the lever g and linger 7f assume the position shown in of the arm 0* the linger 72f strikes the end of the plunger thereunder, as hereinbeforc described, and the drum f is released and turns through one-quarter of a revolution, and the next plunger strikes the finger 71. and swings it into the position shown in Fig 1, and at the same time the pin f" strikes the stops g and holds the drum.

In the above-described operation of this apparatus it is necessary that the shaft v be turned quickly, so that the switch will be operated in the same manner in order that the fuses of said switch will not be burned out, and the object of the disk 0 and lock-wheel j is to provide means which will prevent the spring A" from operating the apparatus when it is partially run down. The disk Z and the lock-wheel 7' form intermittent gears, and the tooth in turning the shaft 0 enters the recesses f and in the form of construction shown the shaft (1 can only turn through four revolutions in either direction, and when the shaft 6 is turned through four revolutions to the right the spring 7i will be wound up sufficiently tight to run the apparatus for a period, say, of one week; but it will be apparent that many changes in and modifications of this part of the apparatus may be made.

In the form of construction shown the electric switch (Z is rigidly connected with an angle-plate m, to which the casing a" is also rigidly secured, and this construction holds the shaft (Z of the switch and the power-shaft w of the casing a" in proper relative position and also holds the plates (1" and (Z in proper position; but it will be apparent that any suitable construction which would rigidly hold the switch (Z and the casing in proper relative position would answer for this purpose, and although I have described and shown the slots (3 in the disk (1", through which the pins pass, as radial slots it will be apparent that ordinary holes may be employed, and the pins (Z may serve to lock the said disks (1 and (1 together.

This apparatus is simple in construction and operation and perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and changes therein and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein as fairly come within the scope of my invention.

It will be understood that the switch device (Z is wired in connection with a suitable source of electrical supply and also in connection with the electric lights to be operated; but this wiring forms no part of this invention and is therefore not shown and described.

Having fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic electric time-switch, the

til.

combination with an electric switch of a casing supported adjacent thereto, a shaft passing therethrough and geared in connection with the shaft of the electric switch and adapted to turn with said shaft in one direction and independently thereof in the opposite direction, a spiral spring mounted in said casing one end of which is connected with said shaft and the other with said casing, a drum secu red to said shaft within said casing and provided with radially-arranged and spring-operated plungers having transverse pins movable in radial slots in the sides of said drum at the perimeter thereof, said casing being also provided in the top thereof with a slot or opening and with stops adjacent to the sides thereof in connection with which said pins operate, a clock mechanism arranged over said casing, and devices 0perated by said clock mechanism for depressing said plnngers at predetermined times so as to permit the turning of said drum and said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

2. in an automatic electric time-switch, the combination with an electric switch of a casing supported adjacent thereto, a shaft passing therethrough and geared in connection with the shaft of the electric switch and adapted to turn with said shaft in one direction and independently thereof in the opposite direction, a spiral spring mounted in said casing one end of which is connected with said shaft and the other with said casingg'a drum secured to said shaft within said casing and provided with radially-a1ranged and spring-operated plungers having transverse pins movable in radial slots in the sides of said drum at the perimeter thereof, said casing being also provided in the top thereof with a slot or opening and with stops adjacent to the sides thereof in connection with which said pins operate, a clock mechanism arranged over said casing, and devices operated by said clock mechanism for depressing said plungers at predetermined times so as to permit the turning of said drum and said shaft, comprising a wheel mounted on the minute-hand shaft of the clock mechanism, gearing, operated by said shaft for turning said wheel, said wheel being also provided with a hub, a timedisk mounted on said hub, an arm also mounted on said hub, said disk and said hub being adjustable with reference to each other, a lever supported over said clock mechanism and adapted to be operated at predetermined intervals by said disk and said arm, a pivoted arm supported over the casing containing the said shaft and drum and in connection with said lever, a weighted elbow-lever pivoted to said arm and provided with a linger which projects into the slot or opening in the top of said casing, and means for normally depressing said arm, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an electric switch provided with the usual shaft, a disk secured to the end of said shaft, a power-shaft arranged in line with the shaft of the electric switch, a disk mounted on the end of the power-shaft and insulated from the first-named disk and connected therewith, a supplemental disk mounted on the powershaft adjacent to the disk on the end thereof and provided with segn'iental slots through which are passed screws connected with the disk on the end of the pmver-shaft, a ratchet wheel secured to the power-shaft adjacent to the supplemental disk and spring-operated pawls connected with the supplemental disk and operating in connection with said ratchetshaft, substantially as shown and described.

L. In an apparatus of the class described, an electric switch provided with the usual shaft, a disk secured to the end of said shaft, a power-shaft arranged in line with the shaft of the electric switch, a disk mounted on the end of the power-shaft and insulated from the first-named disk and connected therewith, a

supplemental disk mounted on the power-.

shaft adjacent to the disk on the end thereof and provided with segmental slots through which are passed screws connected with the disk on the end of the power-shaft, a ratchetwheel secured to the powershaft adjacent to the supplemental disk, spring-o wrated pawls connected with the supplemental disk and operating in connection with said ratchet-shaft, and means for turning said power-shaft and the shaft of the switch at predetermined times in one direction, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this llth day of April, 190a.

STANISLAUS STE M S lil.

\Vitnesses:

F. A. S'ruwinrr, C. J. KLEIN. 

